Clinical Information

The HSV 1 and 2 IgG serological tests performed at Asante are based on a HSV-specific glycoprotein G1 and G2 for HSV1 and HSV2, respectively.  According to CDC guidelines, IgM testing for HSV1 or HSV2 is not useful because IgM tests are not type specific and may give false positive results.

Seroconversion from a negative sample to a positive sample is evidence of either a recent infection or an acute infection. A positive result generally indicates exposure to the pathogen. The results of this assay are not by themselves diagnostic, but should be determined in conjunction with clinical findings and other diagnostic procedures as well as in association with medical judgment. Cell culture and PCR are the preferred HSV tests for persons who seek medical treatment for genital ulcers or other mucocutaneous lesions.

HSV type 1, generally infects the mucous membrane of the eye, mouth and mucocutaneous junctions of the face (cold sores), and is also one of the most common causes of severe sporadic encephalitis in adults.

HSV type 2 is usually associated with mucocutaneous genital lesions, although an increasing number of genital herpes infections have been shown to be due to HSV type 1.

HSV persists in a latent state in sensory ganglia from where it may re-emerge to cause periodic recurrence of infection induced by many stimuli, which may or may not result in clinical lesions.

Pregnant women who develop genital herpes near the time of delivery are at high risk for transmission to the neonate. Active virus excretion in genital secretions may result in neonatal HSV infection contracted when the infant passes through an infected genital tract.

Screening for the general population is not indicated. HSV testing may be indicated when the patient has 1) recurrent genital symptoms or atypical symptoms with negative HSV PCR or culture; 2) clinical diagnosis of genital herpes without laboratory confirmation; and 3) a patient who’s partner has genital herpes.

Test results are reported as positive, negative, or equivocal.